Lasting Damage (17 page)

“We both fucked it up,” Harper interrupted cut her off before she
could complete the thought. “You and I were active participants so we both get
to feel like giant pieces of shit, and we both get to apologize so we can fix
this.”

“No, you don’t understand, I was laying here thinking it was good that
we weren’t going to work out because it was never going…” Jane’s voice faded
away.

Harper shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other but kept
her gaze locked on Jane’s face. “Riley told me about Alice’s mother.”

“See, that’s just the thing, I can’t end up like that.” She shook her
head.  “I can’t be some famous person’s dead girlfriend. I can’t be like her
and I can’t die like that.”

“Why do you even think it’s a possibility?” she asked.

“Because when I look at you I feel happy and when you’re not
around I feel like I might never be happy again and it terrifies me.” Jane felt
her voice crack under the weight of her emotions but kept going. “You can take
it all away by just leaving. By telling me that you don’t want me around
because I’m too much of a fucked up mess and no one would blame you.”

“Riley told me that everybody’s got something. We’re all fucked up
in some way and there’s nothing we can do about it so we might as well enjoy
it.” Harper looked down at the floor and tried to clear her head. “Maybe life
isn’t about being with the perfect person. Maybe it is about being with someone
who isn’t perfect by society’s standards. Maybe what you think is fucked up
about you is what makes you perfect for me. Maybe it’s why I love you?”

Jane stared up at her. She was past the stage of keeping the tears
at bay. They were going to escape no matter how many times she tried blinking
them away. “Did you just say you loved me?”

“Yes,” Harper said, running her shaking hands through her hair. “I
did and I’m not taking it back just because it scares you or makes you nervous.
This is how I feel and I’m tired of trying to keep it hidden from you because
you don’t like feeling all the fucking feels.”

“Even if I can’t say it back?” Jane’s eyes blurred and her face
stained with tears. Harper’s honesty was a hot iron rod sticking in her gut
that she wanted out so she could inhale one more breath. “I don’t know if I can
ever say it back.”

“It’s okay. I can wait.” She gave a firm nod. “I’m a very patient
person.”

Jane swiped both cheeks with the backs of her hands and made a
feeble attempt pull herself together enough to keep going. “It might take me a
long time.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Harper answered her with such quick
assurance it was difficult to doubt her intentions. “I’m here and I’ll always
be here no matter how much pushing and shoving you feel you need to do. I’m not
sure how things are going to end up, you and I might just be really amazing
friends but I can promise you that my heart is yours.”

This was the grand gesture she’d been waiting for all her life,
the problem was that she didn’t know it. “You can’t do this,” she stammered, suddenly
the room felt small and cramped. It was as if all the air was being sucked out
of the room and now everything was stifling and cloying and the walls
threatened to cave in around her. “People don’t do this.”

“Why not?” Harper took a step closer and paused when Jane held out
her hand for her to stop.

“I lied to you,” she reminded her. "I’m the one who’s
supposed to be begging for your forgiveness.”

Harper’s face softened and she smiled. “You could do that or you
could kiss me.”

18.

Harper knew she was taking
a chance
that might backfire but she had to try. She needed a new line of communication,
Jane was starting to panic and panic led to shutting down, so she was willing
to do whatever it took.

“Do you hear me?” she asked.

“What?” Jane looked up, and winced as though she were in pain.

“You need to kiss me.”

Something in Jane’s face changed, her body seemed to shift as if
the inner mechanisms inside spine began turning. She crossed the empty space
between them in long-limbed strides, her fear appearing to slip away as she got
closer.

Jane took Harper’s face in her hands and stared at her for a long
moment before pressing her forehead to Harper’s and closing her eyes.

“Jane.” Her name was becoming a sort of talisman for Harper, a
precious totem to hold on to when she was unsure of the world around her.

“You are the most beautiful human being I have ever seen in my
life,” Jane whispered. “I look at you and I feel so much happiness that it
makes me want to run away. All I want to do is love you back but I’m not sure I
know how.”

“Kiss me,” Harper told her again. “If you kiss me everything will
be alright. We can start all over and make it better.”

“Are you sure?”

“Not really.” Harper’s laughter was gentle and her words were
honest. “But I’d like to hope.”

Jane watched her carefully before sliding her hands down Harper’s
neck, past her breasts and along the length of her torso. With eager fingers
she traced the gentle curve of Harper’s ribs until she found the edge of her shirt.

“I’m not ready to kiss you,” she murmured as she gave the soft,
worn oxford a pull and untucked it from her jeans.

Harper lowered her gaze to watch Jane’s hands when they found the
first button that held her shirt together. She had to bite her lip to keep from
gasping as she watched Jane slip the first button through the tiny hole before
moving into the next one up.

“You’re going to have to tell me when to stop,” she said as she
reached the button that fell between Harper’s breasts, her finger’s toying
along the seam while the backs of her knuckles grazed Harper’s sensitive skin.
Harper couldn’t move and she couldn’t speak. She was worried that either of
those actions would slow the progress of Jane’s hands.

“Are you okay with this?” Jane stared into her eyes while she
worked to free the button.

After that there was only one left.

One tiny button. 

“Yes,” Harper stuttered.

“Do you want me to stop?”

Harper didn’t want to speak. She’s suddenly grown accustomed to
the sound of her own racing breath intermixed with Jane’s cautious questioning
so she just shook her head.

Jane smiled, her eyes fixed on Harper’s face while her fingers
slid over the last button with ease.  She hesitated, darkness passing over her
eyes before she slid her hands under the collar of the shirt and guided the
fabric over her shoulders and down her arms with gentle care.

To her surprise Jane brought her mouth to Harper’s, giving her a
soft kiss before sinking to her knees. Harper’s entire body shook as Jane’s
hands moved to the front of her jeans and worked the belt buckle.  Jane smiled
up at her for a second before she slid the jeans down her legs, holding Harper
steady so she could step out of them.

When she was free, Jane reached up, both hands wrapping around
Harpers hips, and guided her back to the bed and sitting her on the edge. She slipped
both hands between Harper’s knees, opening them just enough to fir her own body
between Harper’s thighs.  

“Yes?” She asked in a low questioning whisper as she slid her
hands along the front of her thighs.

“Yes.” The word caught in her throat as she tried to speak. “Please.”

Harper held her breath as ran her hands up her legs, her thumbs
meeting at the tops of her thighs while she splayed her fingers along the top
edge of her panties.

Harper was nearly naked and wet and waiting for Jane to make the
next move.

Jane reached out to undo the front clasp of Harper’s bra. She felt
a momentary rush of anxiety at how small her breasts were, but it faded away
when she saw the look of lust in Jane’s eyes the instant the bra slipped off
her shoulders. Jane kissed her again, this time teasing her mouth open and
darting the tip of her tongue along Harper’s lips while she caressed both
breasts until her nipples tightened into pearled points that ached for Jane’s
mouth.

She arched her back and Jane broke the kiss to lower her mouth to
Harper’s breasts. A deep groan of pleasure escape her as Jane sucked and licked
each nipple while her hand slipped between Harper’s thighs to stroke her
dampened panties.

Jane sighed, moving away so she could slip both hands under
Harper’s ass and take off her panties and quickly spreading her legs apart
again.

She looked up at Harper as though she wanted to say something but
only smiled and turned her gaze to Harper’s pussy.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait a little long?” She asked,
her voice heavy with lust.

“No,” Harper panted. “No more waiting.”

With a wicked glint in her eyes she slid a hand over the top of
her thighs while she caressed Harper’s nipples with the other. Jane took her
time, slowly moving her fingers until they met the soft dark curls of Harper’s
cunt.

Harper felt a familiar jolt as Jane stroked the sensitive outer
lips, taking her time to ease her way past the tender seam of Harper’s core.
Once there shr teased Harper’s sensitive clit with the pad of her index finger.

Jane licked her lips and smiled as she moved her other hand down
to spread Harper’s pussy open so she could pull back the soft hood of her clit
and tease the small bud with her juice dampened fingers.

Reflexively Harper moved into Jane’s hand, spreading her legs
apart with a deep moan of pleasure. Jane quickened the movement of her fingers,
drawing fast, small circles around her clit until Harper’s thighs quivered. It
was then that Jane lowered her head and pressed her lips to Harper’s swollen,
aching bud. She inhaled at the electric feel of contact but wasn’t prepared for
Jane’s hot mouth as she slipped her tongue into Harpers wet slit, fucking her
tight hole while she teased her hardened core with fast, expert fingers.

“Yes,” Harper whispered as she stomach tightened and familiar
sensation of heaviness invaded her pelvis.  Jane shifted, tightened her grip on
Harper’s hips and closed her mouth over her aching clit.

She alternated her movements, sucking and then licking back and
forth until Harper felt as if her body was on the verge of exploding and then
Jane was fix her eyes on her face and pull her mouth back down to tongue fuck
her until Harper teetered on the edge of her orgasm.

Jane let out a low, humming groan and flattened her tongue against
Harper’s clit and began swishing it back and forth, adding pressure and taking
it away. The walls of Harper’s pussy tightened and her stomach quivered as hot
sparks worked up her backbone and she was certain her entire body was on fire
from the sheer intensity of wave after wave of pleasure that washed over her.
For a second she thought her heart was going to burst out of her chest, it was
all too much and Jane wasn’t stopping her ministration to Harper’s cunt.

She reached sat up and reached down Jane’s back, gathering
handfuls of her shirt and pulling it up over her shoulders. With deep groan,
Jane moved her mouth away from Harper’s cunt so she could get the shirt over
her head.

Harper slid to the edge of the bed and tugged at Jane’s shorts
until they slid past over her hips. She grinned as her eyes fell on Jane’s
smooth, naked pussy.

“The carpet doesn’t match the drapes,” Jane laughed. “This way I
don’t have to explain anything.”

Harper pulled Jane down into her lap and kissed her hard before she
shifted her weight and lowered Jane onto her back. Sliding down her body,
Harper traced the line of Jane’s jaw with her mouth, licking and nipping at the
tender skin while her hand closed over one breast. She rolled Jane’s nipple
between her thumb and forefinger while she ran her tongue over her other
nipple. Harped switched sides, sucking and licking one breast then the other
until Jane whimpered with pleasure.

Harper sat back, she ran her hands up Jane’s pale thighs,
remembering how the first right of Jane’s legs made her skin burn. Now she had
those beautiful long legs under her touch and she wanted to feel them quiver
around her neck. She smiled as she pressed against the inside of Jane’s thighs,
spreading them wide while Jane’s breath caught in her chest.

Harper settled herself, she traced the tender cleft of Jane’s
pussy with her hand, teasing at the sensitive skin with her fingernails and
dipping a finger to play along the wet seam. Jane groaned with each taunting
pass of Harper’s hand, her hips rising to meet the touch.

Harper smiled she glided her middle finger into Jane’s folds, she
was wet and hot and gasped with pleasure.

“Fuck me,” she groaned and Harper readily complied by sliding her
finger deep into her moist channel. She added a second finger when Jane opened
her legs for more. “Oh, god.” Jane pressed her head into the pillow and moaned.

Harper rewarded her with a third finger while she spread the lips
of Jane’s pussy apart with her other hand and slid her fingers down until the
juncture of her index and middle fingers rubbed against the hood of Jane’s clit
and the walls of her slit tightened. Harper rubbed harder, back and forth while
she slid her fingers in and out, fucking her slowly.

“Shit,” Jane groaned, her hands curling into tight fists at her
side. “Fuck, you’re gonna make me come.”

Harper moved forward, she pressed her mouth the naked skin of
Jane’s mound, kissing her sweet skin before lowering her mouth to lick along
the soft inner lips of her pussy, tasting every inch of her sweetness before seeking
out her sensitive core. She flicked her tongue back and forth, making fast
circles until Jane’s thighs began to shake and her cunt contracted around her slippery
fingers.

Harper fucked her harder as Jane spread her legs further apart,
her breath was heavy as she gasped for air.

Jane dug her fingernails into Harper’s scalp and held her still
while her hips bucked wildly as her body tightened and released in a deep
orgasm. Harper rode the waves of Jane’s pleasure, meeting every motion, licking
and sucking until her body calmed and relaxed until Jane reached down and
pulled Harper up to her waiting mouth, kissing her wildly before settling them
both back down on the bed.

“What are you doing?” Harper let out a throaty laugh as Jane
rolled onto her side and slid her hand down Harper’s stomach.

“You’re so beautiful when you come,” she whispered in Harper’s ear
when her fingers found their mark. “I want to watch you one more time.”

*****

Jane didn’t want to open her eyes. She was warm and comfortable
snuggled up in Harper’s arms. It didn’t matter to her what time of day it was
or what meal was being served down in the restaurant or which TV show she’d
missed. She’d stumbled onto something better than food or shows. Hell, being
with Harper was better than keeping track of time. Jane opened her eyes, there
was daylight where the edge of the curtain met the wall and all she could think
about was that maybe they should spend one more day just like this, tethered to
the bed and to one another before they ventured out into the world

She shifted an inch and Harper responded, her arms tightening
reflexively. In this bed Jane was Harper’s willing captive and would remain
that way until they decided to change locations.

In her heart she hated the idea of leaving the hotel and going
back to her real life, so she decided to keep the promise of a drive up the
Maine coast. They could do all the things they’d talked about, the lighthouse
at Pemaquid Point, brunch at Two Cats, a room in Bristol. The rest of the
world, Riley and Alice and her miserable mother, would have to wait until she’d
had her chance to seduce Harper with natural beauty and available real estate.

The End